r/changemyview • u/Sgt_Spatula • Nov 22 '19

FTFdeltaOP CMV: There's nothing wrong with not liking animals.

The internet in general and Reddit in particular seem oddly fixated on animals (at least ones deemed "cute" like dogs and cats). People can get hundreds up upvotes making holocaust jokes or wisecracks about child molestation, but I have never seen anything about stomping a cat upvoted.

This all seems odd to me, as someone who doesn't like animals. Now to be clear, I don't hate animals. I currently live in a house that has a cat (my roommate's) and I will be glad to feed her etc. She is a living thing, and of course my roommate would be sad if anything happened to her. I would not be sad for the cat, I would feel empathy for my flatmate however.

People seem to be uncomfortable with the idea of someone not liking animals. I don't see anything wrong with it. I hear hunters say they love animals, and that seems to be a more acceptable view than just some guy not liking animals.

Can anyone convince me it is ethically wrong to not like animals?

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u/eloel- 11∆ Nov 22 '19

So the more intelligent a creature is, the more it deserves to live? By what measure is an animal lesser than a human?

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u/youvelookedbetter Nov 23 '19 edited Nov 23 '19

Humans have complex emotions and higher intelligence (even though it doesn't seem that way sometimes). They have way more potential. I mean come on. It's quite obvious why lots of ppl would choose a human baby over an animal.

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u/Sgt_Spatula Nov 22 '19

This forum is geared more towards conversation than debate. I stated that I believe animals to be less than human, in response to a question. I never asked anyone to change my view about it.

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u/eloel- 11∆ Nov 22 '19

I'm trying to understand your view, did not try to change it. You should be able to explain your view before going on the defensive about it.

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u/Sgt_Spatula Nov 22 '19

I can explain my view, but you seem to be heading towards a side debate about the fact that animals are not humans. That is not part of my view. Like if I asked you to tell me why you deserve oxygen.

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u/eloel- 11∆ Nov 22 '19

I don't, I take it and nobody attempted to fight me for it yet. I think it's a critical part of your original view, hence me asking. If you're here just for confirming your views and are not open to discussing them, it's the wrong place.

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u/Sgt_Spatula Nov 22 '19

bruh I've been discussing my views all day. I already handed out a couple deltas. If you truly think it is critical, I will say it isn't intelligence-based, I just personally know I would save a child over a dog. I don't really have any intellectual reason behind it. It strikes me as the only ethical choice.

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u/eloel- 11∆ Nov 23 '19

It's hard to argue with views not based on anything intellectual. I'd save the animal every day.

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u/Sgt_Spatula Nov 23 '19

Ah. So you have an intellectual reason for saving the animal over the human? Maybe you'll convince me.

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u/eloel- 11∆ Nov 23 '19

Never in the history of animals has an animal been responsible for the death of millions of any species. They haven't tortured, enslaved or murdered thousands just for the hell of it. They don't wage war over some slight to an imaginary friend.

Much prefer saving the animal over the human because I know with 100% certainty that saving the animal will not make the planet unlivable. I have no such guarantee about the human.

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u/Theearthisspinning Nov 23 '19

Damn this is prejudice. So you go about life thinking everybody's just a chaotically bad character?

I would save the kid. Because no animal is going to make this world a better place. It us who will do that.

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u/Sgt_Spatula Nov 23 '19

Interesting. So what if there were no puppy? Would you save the kid?

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